Running since 2005, Physical Fest is a Liverpool based international festival, one of only two dedicated physical theatre festivals in the UK. It attracts participants from all over the world, in a celebration of a diverse range of performances, workshops, talks & debates. We also  support artists & especially female artists from the north through associated bursary & participatory programmes.

Our vision is to celebrate the world’s most exciting, contemporary physical theatre. Bringing a variety of new work to the north for the first time, creating a festival that explores, questions, encourages & enables engagement with creativity.

The festival is bi-annual with a programme of workshops in every non Fest year! 

Our next festival will be in 2023, if you are interested in being part of it, please invite us to see your work live, or join our mailing list to find our about open calls and opportunities for artists.

We look forward to seeing you at a Physical Fest event soon!

Elinor Randle Artistic Director- Tmesis Theatre & Physical Fest

‘There’s nothing quite like this on offer in the city! If you’re looking for diversity and something a bit different in Liverpool, then look no further than this! Fascinating stuff!’ – La Vida Liverpool

‘Physical Fest continues to bring some of the finest and most eclectic theatre to the city.’ Liverpool Echo

 ‘A truly pleasure to perform in one of our favourite cities in the UK Liverpool, as we rarely do! Fantastic festival!’ – Gandini Juggling

‘To see, first hand, so many women who are clearly driven, confident and supportive to others whilst working towards their own goals, is an experience that I think every female artist should go through. It is inspirational on so many levels.’ – Rowena Gander- Bursary Artist

‘To me, the Physical Fest is the artistic nurturing factory, and the festival staff members are the alchemists who organize the creative magic to happen. No word can express how grateful I feel to be the artist-in-residence at the Physical Fest!’ –Izumi Ashizawa- International Residency Artist

‘Physical Fest is such a welcome and necessary part of the British Theatre Ecology, it develops curious audiences who travel each year to see the performances, the team are professional and warm and the experience is a much-needed breath of fresh air, thank you.’ – Jamie Wood-Performer and workshop leader 

‘Performers are lucky to be programmed by Physical Fest. It’s an intimate festival that takes beautiful care of its artists and delivers to us smart, appreciative audiences. I had a blast there, it was a stellar introduction to Liverpool and I was impressed by the combination of sophistication and loving community that the festival seems to embody’. – Deanna Fleysher (Butt Kapinski)- Performer and workshop leader